Keeping It Together
by hp4evr123
Summary: Chloe is not your average teenager. By the time she stumbles across the pack, she has already beaten cancer twice, and is beyond ready to get out from under her overprotective mother's thumb. Chloe falls into unexpected, awkward friendship with Embry that takes a hit when her cancer returns with a vengeance. This story is one of courage, strength, and keeping it together.
1. Prologue

**Hello readers! I'm so excited to introduce my new story, Keeping It Together, featuring Embry! This takes place in the Safehouse world of imprints, but you don't need to read that to enjoy this, I promise. Summer and Colton will be making appearances, very soon I might add. I apologize for this coming out so late, but I sincerely hope you enjoy this. I've been working on it for a while, and I'm really pleased!**

**Prologue**

"Wake up, Chloe, wake up!" a desperate voice called somewhere from above me. There was a vague understanding of this voice; it was someone who had taken care of me, someone who had spent a lot of time with me, and comforted me. I knew that I knew that voice, but it was buried deep inside of me. Recognition of anything but a twisted sense of consciousness was strange for me; I was unaware of most of what was going on.

"Chloe, I'm not playing with you. You have to wake up! Come on!" the voice insisted. It sounded harsher, more desperate. Dimmer, I felt dimmer; everything was slowing down, calming down.

"She's dying, isn't she?" There was a muffled reply after the tearful question that I didn't hear. I couldn't really bring myself to care.

"Chloe." This voice was different. It was stronger. Sturdier. More powerful and definitely scarier. I could not disobey this voice. "Come back to us right now. Wake _up_."

"Dammit, Chloe, wake up!" the strong voice whimpered.

The softness was closing in around me. Everything felt like a warm, cuddly cocoon. Nothing could hurt me. No more pain. No more hurting. No more worrying. Falling into the cocoon was like falling into a warm, soft bed; I could sleep and dream forever, and not worry about one little thing.

Going against the voice was hard, but I had made my decision. Moving towards the voice was hard, like pushing a brick wall, and painful. I hated trying.

I let myself fall gracefully into the cocoon, securing myself from everything else.

I was safe; I was free.


	2. The Dropped Donut

**The Dropped Donut**

_Two months earlier_

"Chloe, it's cold outside! Don't forget your coat!" my mom shouted from the kitchen. I rolled my eyes but obeyed her, and took my soft, heather-grey peacoat out of the coat closet and pulled it on. I walked outside and down the front steps and walk. Once on the sidewalk, I began my weekly walk to the convenience store just down the street. I always walked down the road to the one in La Push on Sunday mornings to buy a loaf of bread and whatever fresh pastry that was on special for the day. Mom had started this after my second recovery to get me some regular exercise and a tiny bit of independence. The miniscule independence I was allowed was always short-lived and never seemed quite long enough for me.

The cheerful bell on the door alerted the friendly cashier that I had entered. The walk from my house to the convenience store, never more than a twenty minute walk even in the pouring rain, seemed shorter than usual. I took a hand basket and went immediately to the little bakery. I grabbed the bread my mom preferred and placed it carefully in the basket before going to the pastry case to pick out something for breakfast.

My eyes roved over the varied sweets, debating the merits of one over the other. I always lingered in front of the case, torn between choosing something already and actually taking the steps to walk home. My father worked from Wednesday to Sunday night, and so I spent those days with my mom, alone in our house. Dad worked at an office in Olympia, which was a long drive from Forks and La Push, where we lived. Dad had a condo near the office for when he worked and made the long trek home for two days before heading out to do it all over again. Needless to say, in Dad's absence, the house was stifling. My mother was at her worst, and nothing could calm her down.

As a result, there was something so special about Sundays. It was the day before normalcy, the day before I could relax in my own skin again and actually breathe. With my mom, I lived under a microscope, under her constant scrutiny and observation. I knew that she only hovered because she cared, and I was a lot more privileged than too many kids in America, but my life was my own and my mother still bugged me. Sundays were the last day I had to put up with her crazy antics before my dad would come home and settle her down. With another person in the house to focus on, my mother was slightly less overbearing. She was manageable. And Sundays were the gateway to that day, and also the day with my temporary freedom, so it was safe to say that Sundays were the best of my week.

I picked a chocolate frosted donut and headed to the checkout line. Before I could set my basket on the counter though, three roughhousing teenage boys knocked the basket from my arms and it hurled straight to the floor. The bread was squished; the pastry flown from its wrapper and ruined.

"Oh," I breathed softly. I looked up from my almost-purchases and straight at the three boys.

Two of them were obviously Quileute, with dark hair, skin, and eyes, but the third was slightly different. They all sported the same short haircut, bulging muscles, and height, but the third had paler skin than the two Quileutes, and had green eyes instead of a dark brown or black. The three of them were easily the best looking guys I had ever seen in my life, body and face-wise.

"Sorry, we didn't mean to knock you. Are you okay?" the older looking one asked. He was closest to me, and now that I trained my eyes on him, his build was just a little slimmer than the other two.

"Colton, go get her another loaf of bread," the first said. The paler one with the green eyes broke away and went off to the bread section. The other one pulled his gaze away from me and stooped over from his great height to gather the spilled goods. He returned the basket to the front of the store and the bread to the storekeeper. The donut was immediately discarded to the trashcan.

"Here you go," the one that had been called Colton said as he handed me a new loaf of bread and a chocolate frosted donut, wrapped in two of the paper wrappings instead of just one. The first one, the one that had apologized, took the bread and pastry and placed them on the counter in front of the cashier. Before I could fish my five dollar bill from my pocket, he paid my total and handed me the plastic bag that had the bread and my donut.

"Sorry about knocking your stuff," the second one said earnestly. He leaned forward and offered me his hand. "I'm Seth. This is Colton and Embry."

"Thanks," I said quietly, my gaze bouncing between the three of them. They smiled at me at the same time, triplet blinding white grins that had me smiling tentatively back. "Um…I was just leaving," I explained awkwardly as I moved towards the door. Seth and Colton waved genially at me as I moved to the door and went off on their own down one of the aisles. Embry, however, jogged over to me, escaping through the shop door, and held it open for me as I stepped out into the crisp winter air.

"Hey, I didn't catch your name," he said with a smile making his lips jump a little as they twitched.

"Chloe," I said softly. He smiled.

"That's a pretty name." And with that one sentence, I could immediately sense he thought I was young. It was funny how good I was at telling when people thought I was my age or much younger. After being mistaken for a twelve year old in my seventeen year old body by perfect strangers on too many occasions to count, I found I could tell how old they pegged me within the first few sentences they spoke to me.

"Thanks," I said somewhat flatly as I started off in the direction of home. There was nothing quite like the disappointment of being mistaken for a twelve year old.

"Where are you going, Chloe?" Embry asked. I glanced over my shoulder at him, narrowing my eyes.

"Home," I said simply.

"No parents around to drive?" he asked, concerned. There were of course two ways to see that question. Embry's tone implied genuine worry and concern, as if he actually cared for my well-being, as opposed to the fake concern and general creepiness of kidnappers and child molesters. Embry definitely was worried. I could just tell; his face was like an open book.

"No. I walk," I told him simply. He jammed his hands into his pockets as he appraised me carefully.

"How far?"

"East Maple in Forks, right on the edge of town."

"That's quite a walk."

"I need the exercise."

I could see the gears turning in Embry's head, multiple thoughts. The first was that I was too skinny to need exercise; my legs were tiny, my fingers hardly substantial, and my face almost sunken, with too-big eyes on my small, pale, drawn face. Second, Embry could tell, I was sure, by the conversation and my tone, that I was much older than he initially guessed.

"Do you mind if I walk with you?" he asked.

There was something about the nerve of the boy in front of me, something about the way he carried himself, the little smile tugging at the corners of his lips, that made me want to say yes. He had certainly been friendly enough. But, I was irritated by his quick assumptions and concern over my well-being-_hello, it was a fifteen minute walk_-and the thought of my mother's questions were just too much. This stranger, this _Embry_, was not worth the trouble.

"No thank you, I'm fine," I rolled my eyes as I turned away and started home.


	3. An Invitation

**I'm so excited that everyone is enjoying this! Let me know how you're liking it, and what you think/hope is going to happen!**

**An Invitation**

"Mom, I'm running to the store!" I called from the kitchen as I grabbed my phone, keys, and credit card from the counter. "I'll be back in an hour!"

"Wait!" I heard her call from somewhere deep in the house. She came jogging out in her yoga pants, tight shirt, and sports bra. Her long dark hair was pulled up in a high bun, wisps straying all over, and she was sweating. "Where're you going, kiddo?"

"The store. We're out of milk and flour, and I was going to bake cookies this afternoon. Do you need anything?" I asked politely. I was itching to leave; she was holding me back.

"No, honey, I'm fine. Text me when you get there, okay?" she said lightly as she turned around and went back to her room to finish her Pilates. I bolted out the front door before she could change her mind and popped in my earbuds once I was on the sidewalk.

Tuning the world out had me walking faster, to the beat of my upbeat music, and I found the walk to the store was shorter than I had anticipated. Instead of the usual twenty to twenty-five minutes, I had made it to the store in ten. I breezed through the door quickly and went straight for the flour with a basket when I spotted two familiar mountains standing halfway down the aisle. It had been three days since I had made my weekly trip and met the crazy three guys that knocked my basket out of my hands, and now, two of them were standing right in front of me. Between Seth and Colton was a girl who looked about my age, my actual age and not what I resembled at least, with long dark hair and fair skin the same shade as Colton's.

I waited awkwardly while the three argued over cake mixes as they continued to block my way. I would have continued to wait awkwardly if the girl hadn't turned on the spot and caught my eye.

She had startling green eyes, that same pretty shade that Colton had, and pretty, delicate features. She also had an obviously pregnant stomach, which quickly had my attention snapping back up to her face. She was two or three inches taller than me, and of course curvier and filled out as well.

"I'm sorry; we're in your way. Colt, move over. Seth, let her pass," the girl said immediately, swatting Colton on the arm. The gesture seemed to sting her hand more than it stung Colton. I realized belatedly that they must be brother and sister.

"Oh, hey!" Seth said jovially. His grin lit up his entire face. "It's Chloe, right? Colt and I don't have the best track record in this store with you." I smiled politely and started forward, but Seth's smile stopped me in my tracks as he gestured to the girl. "This is my girlfriend, Summer. She's Colton's sister."

"It's nice to meet you," Summer said, offering her hand. I shook it quickly and pulled back shyly, not used to having such rapt stares from three perfect strangers. "Do you live on the reservation?"

"Oh, no," I said quickly, shaking my head. "On the edge of Forks, actually."

"Really? Colt and I just moved from West Maple," Summer said, smiling a friendly, welcoming smile.

"I live on East Maple," I explained, feeling a shy smile come to my lips.

"Do you come to the reservation a lot?" Summer continued. Seth and Colton muttered something about magazines and took off while Summer remained with me, chatting idly.

"Not too much anymore. My mom liked to bring me when I was little, but we stopped coming. I come to the store once a week, but I mostly stay in Forks." Where the doctors are.

"That's too bad. I could use a girlfriend to hand out with. I mostly just see the guys," Summer lamented casually. She smiled, face bright. "Would you like to come to a party tomorrow night on the beach? The guys are having a big bonfire. It's going to be a lot of fun."

"Um…" I hesitated. My mom wouldn't like it, but I didn't really care.

"I'll pick you up and everything," she urged me softly. I found myself nodding before I realized it, agreeing to Summer's request. Soon, I was typing in my phone number and address into her phone and following her down the aisle as we found the flour. We chatted as we made our way through the rest of the store. I loaded up on what I needed to bake while Summer grabbed anything that caught her eye-blaming her pregnancy cravings.

"Well," she said after the cashier had rung us both up. Colton had already taken her basket and started loading the gray SUV in the parking lot. Seth was at Summer's side, gazing down at her happily. "Do you need a ride home? I don't mind, and your bags are pretty heavy."

"Uh…" I hesitated. Summer noticed and smiled reassuringly.

"I don't bite, I promise!" she assured me. "And I'll know where I'm going tomorrow night."

"Uh…sure," I agreed reluctantly. Summer smiled up at Seth expectantly.

"Oh," he said quickly, grabbing my bags. "Let me take those for you." Summer grinned and looped her arm through mine as we followed Seth out to the parking lot. Seth and Colton hopped into the backseat while Summer took the driver's side and gestured for me to take the front passenger. I slid in and shut the door gently before buckling my seatbelt hurriedly. The car had that brand-new, just-off-the-lot smell.

"My old car breathed its last just a couple weeks ago," Summer explained as she pulled out of her parking spot and towards the exit of the parking lot. She turned left on the main road, heading to Forks. "Seth and Colton persuaded me to buy a monster like this," Summer rolled her eyes heavenward in a teasing manner.

"Hey, you're going to have kids! And you already play soccer mom for me and the guys, so…" Colton trailed off.

"We didn't get you the minivan," Seth laughed with Colton. They dissolved into manly chuckles and chortles while Summer continued to roll her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," she agreed sarcastically. She grinned at me. "They think they're so funny." I smiled politely in agreement as Summer turned onto my street.

"It's the gray one, on the left, with the roses," I pointed out softly. Summer pulled up on the curb so she wouldn't block my mother's and father's cars in the driveway. My father was on the porch, towing along his suitcase as he got ready to leave for work, talking on his cell phone as he paced his way to his company car.

"Wow," whistled Seth. "A Lexus-nice."

"Thanks," I said softly, blushing. I felt the need to explain that it was a company car, not one he had picked for himself, but my mom's BMW didn't exactly defend that statement.

"I didn't mean-oh, hell, I was rude!" Seth hissed quietly. There was a soft thud as his head hit the back of Summer's seat. I twisted my lips into a reassuring smile.

"No, that's okay. He works in the city, so he spends a lot of time in the car. He likes it, I guess," I babbled. Summer smiled and turned off the car quickly.

"Let's go say hi," she said excitedly as she hopped out of the car before I could stop her.

"I-I don't know if my dad's up for…" I trailed off listlessly; Summer and Seth had already made their way towards my dad. He smiled and nodded at them and hung up a minute later to give them his attention. I stood uselessly on the curb, watching the scene unfold before me.

"Summer's a little enthusiastic," Colton explained to me, arms filled with my groceries. He nodded to the front porch. "Is it okay if I go inside or should I leave them on the porch?"

"Just leave them on the porch," I told him faintly as Summer shook my dad's hand and Seth followed suit. His white shirt was bright even in the overcast light and his blonde hair shone. He laughed at something Seth said.

"Hey, sweetheart!" my dad called, waving to me. I walked over slowly and forced a smile, twining my hands together behind my back as I approached. "These your friends?" dad asked when I was closer. I nodded slowly as I looked at Seth, Summer, and Colton walking over.

"Yeah," I agreed softly. Colton stepped forward to shake my dad's hand confidently and I marveled at my father's composure. He had a pregnant teenager and two giants surrounding him and he was completely calm.

"Listen, I gotta head out, but why don't we have your friends over for dinner when I get home Monday night, huh?" dad asked genially. He smiled, kissed my cheek, nodded to my new friends, and headed over to his car, dialing his phone as he hurried over.

"He's nice," Summer smiled after dad had pulled away. "Where's your mom?"

"Inside I guess," I told her quietly. Summer smiled and turned towards the house, and I couldn't help my wince.

"Hey Sum, maybe we should meet Chloe's mom some other time. We don't want to intrude," Seth said quickly, holding Summer's arm. Apparently he had caught my wince and was reining Summer's enthusiasm in.

"Yeah, sure," Summer said immediately. She walked over and wrapped me up in a hug. I tried to hide my shock as I returned her embrace, and she pulled away smiling, her green eyes bright. "We'll see you tomorrow, okay? I'll pick you up at five-thirty. That should give us plenty of time to get to the party."

"Okay," I nodded. Her exuberance was almost frightening. Her smile was about ready to crack her face.

Summer, Seth, and Colton climbed back into the SUV and took off down the street as I watched, wondering just what exactly I had gotten myself into.


End file.
